As states struggle to contain the novel coronavirus that’s killed nearly 100,000 Americans, President Donald Trump threatened to move the Republican National Committee from Charlotte, North Carolina, if there is a chance the venue might not be filled there later this summer due to virus-related restrictions.
“Unfortunately, Democrat Governor, [Roy Cooper] is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the Arena,” Trump said in a string of tweets, adding that a decision must be made now because the preparations cost millions and supporters needed to be able to make their travel plans now.
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“If not, we will be reluctantly forced to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site,” he said.
The RNC is currently scheduled for Aug. 24-27, in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the state recently reported its highest number of new cases in a single day. North Carolina entered the second phase of its reopening on Friday, but gatherings of groups over 10 people indoors, and 25 people outdoors, are still prohibited.
Meanwhile, in Washington, the president has sought to downplay the growing threat of the novel coronavirus and has claimed that the worst has passed, even as his own experts remind Americans that the highly contagious virus is “not yet contained.”
“With the country starting to open up this holiday weekend, I again remind everyone that the coronavirus is not yet contained. It is up to every individual to protect themselves and their community,” Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn tweeted this weekend.
The president’s son Eric Trump recently argued that Democrats were using the virus to keep the president from campaigning.
“After November 3rd, coronavirus will magically go away and disappear and everything will open,” he said on Fox.
